


The dark

by prompom



Series: WUMPTOBER 2019 [7]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Violence, Xenophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 20:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20954087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prompom/pseuds/prompom
Summary: Some people blame Niflheim for the darkness. Prompto is an easy target one night.





	The dark

**Author's Note:**

> Wumptober day 8 - stab wound  
day 11 - stitches  
day 24 - secret injury  
day 25 - humiliation

It took a year for there to be complete darkness after Noct went into the crystal. It was a year of the sun rising later and later, setting earlier and earlier, until there was no sun at all. It was strange the first day there was no sun. It was something you always saw and never thought about.

Most people just got on with their lives as best as they could. People helped build defences, scavenge for food and weapons. Basically just try to stay alive.

However, there were people who took a more violent approach. It was inevitable really that there were these sort of people. They blamed Niflheim for the darkness. Ignis, Gladio and Prompto tried to explain the situation; that it was part of the prophecy and that Noct would bring back that the light as the chosen king. Most listened, but some wanted someone to blame.

A lot of people from Niflheim had fled to Lucis. It was safer in Lucis and it was better for everyone to stick together. The people who blamed Niflheim however, didn't like it at all. People were getting attacked, even murdered daily.

Prompto was the target of some of the attacks, despite being one of the Kings chosen protectors. He was obviously from Niflheim, no one from Lucis had hair or skin as light as his. He kept the abuse a secret, it would just cause unnessercery anger and upset for Gladio and Ignis.

He tried to not walk alone after a certain time, there were less people on the streets and he was more likely to encounter some of the more racist members of society.

This time, however, a meeting had run late. Being one of the Kings chosen, he had a certain obligation to fulfil. Himself and Ignis were helping Holly plan out the best ways to direct electricity throughout Lestallum. It was confusing and mind numbing work. 

The streets were quiet, everyone had retreated into their homes or were in the numerous bars that had appeared. Prompto walked past one, the strong smell of what the locals affectionately called_ Lestallum Brew _wafted out along with the sounds of drunk people being raucous.

Prompto wasn't paying attention. Instead, concentrating on the phone in his hand and thinking about the meeting. He turned into one of the narrow alleyways, the quickest route back to his depressing apartment, and heard a sound behind him.

He subtly turned his head, three guys. All bigger than Gladio. He was easily outnumbered and outmuscled. Prompto didn't want to lead them to his place, so he took another sharp corner so he was heading in the opposite direction. 

"Hey, Niff!" one of them shouted.

"Why you running away?" another one jeered.

"Come back little Niff"

Prompto put his head down, face burning, and doubled his walking speed. He could hear the three men behind him speed up too.

In blind panic, Prompto took another corner. Then another. Nearly running to try and avoid the attackers. He wasn't looking where he was going and when he looked up, the alleyway had a dead end. He turned to try and get out, but they had caught up with him. 

"Are you trapped, little Niff?"

Prompto swallowed. "I'm one of the King's chosen" he announced, hoping it would make them back off.

"Oh we know who you are" the smallest one said. "Prompto Argentum"

Prompto summoned his gun in shaking hands. "Then you must know what a bad idea this is"

He realised suddenly, there were only two of them. The third had gone. As soon as he realised this there was a thump behind him and then something cold on his neck. A knife.

"Drop the gun." The man's voice was hot on the side of his face. Prompto didn't obey straight away. The man pressed the knife harder into his skin, he felt blood trickle down his neck. "Drop it, or I'll slice your Niff neck open"

Prompto dropped it. One of the other guys came forward and kicked it away. 

The whole situation was stupidly embarrassing. He was a trained member of the crownsguard, one of the kings chosen retainers, and he couldn't even fight off three xenophobic meat heads. 

\---

Gladio frowned at his phone. He couldn't get hold of Prompto. Ignis had said that the meeting was over an hour ago and Prompto had said he was planning on going straight home. He wasn't at his apartment though, and Gladio was unsure of where else to look. Prompto didn't like the bars, he preferred to keep to himself. So he wouldn't be there.

As the last straw, Gladio checked the GPS location of Prompto's phone. He only did that as a last resort, he hated invading his friends privacy. He followed the marker on the map until he reached a creepy alleyway deep in the heart of the city. The lights barely reached there, he wouldn't know what Prompto would be doing in a place like that.

He poked his head in, curling his lip at the smell of putrid garbage. He didn't see anything at first, then he spotted a flash of yellow on the ground.

Gladio rushed over, knowing instinctively that it was his blonde friend. Somehow, the man was still conscious. "Hey big guy" he mumbled.

He gently lifted Prompto into a sitting position. "Fuck Blondie, what happened?"

Prompto winced as he touched a bruise on his cheek. "Suppose you won't believe me if I say I fell?" he said, chuckling darkly.

"Prompto" Gladio warned.

"Wow full name, I really I am trouble." He tried to stand up, but didn't seem to be able to make it by himself. "Fancy helping?"

Gladio hauled him to his feet, putting an arm around his slim waist to keep him upright. "Gonna tell me what happened?"

"Just some assholes"

"Care to elaborate?"

Prompto shrugged, wincing as he did. "It happens a lot. People are angry at Niflheim about the darkness"

Gladio was about to say_ but why you? You're not a Niff._ Then he remembered. It was still so easy to think of Prompto as just Noctis's best friend and forget about everything that they discovered after they found him at Zegnautus Keep. Gladio knew there was a problem with people from Niflheim being attacked but he never thought it would extend to Prompto.

"I'm sorry" Gladio said softly.

"You don't need to be sorry Gladio. It's not you that's doing it"

They walked in silence for a bit until Gladio felt a warm wetness on the side he was holding Prompto. He glanced down, and saw his and Prompto's shirt seemed damp. He was about to ask what was going on but he spotted the small tear in Prompto's shirt, and through it his blood stained skin. "Prompto, the fuck?"

"What?" Prompto asked, following Gladio's gaze downwards. "Oh I didn't mention one of them had a knife?"

"You've been stabbed?" Gladio said loudly.

"Not stabbed, more like slashed" Prompto replied, a lot more calmly than he should have sounded.

"You're gonna be the death of me blondie" Gladio grumbled. "We better get you home so I can have a proper look"

Prompto's apartment was small and dingy, like most of the places in Lestallum. He set Prompto down on the sofa. "Shirt off" 

Prompto gasped in fake shock. "No first date?"

In any other circumstance, Gladio would have probably laughed. But now… Prompto was possibly covering a serious injury with humour and Gladio didn't like that at all. "C'mon Prom, stop messing around"

"Just trying to lighten the mood"

Prompto slowly peeled his blood soaked shirt off. Gladio immediately fell to his knees to lock at the injury. He nearly sighed with relief, it wasn't that bad. It was about half an inch wide and five inches long, but shallow. The bleeding had slowed down a lot too. "A potion will fix this up in no time" Gladio told him.

"No potions" Prompto said quickly.

Gladio wanted to growl at the younger man. "Prompto, it needs to be fixed"

"Just stitch it up or something. Potions are running out and someone could need it more"

"Stop being so self sacrificing for five fucking minutes!" Gladio shouted.

"I'm not!" Prompto shouted back. "I'm being fucking realistic Gladio! Gods know how long Noct is gonna be in there and we can get more. This'll be healed in a week and we can save that potion for someone who could die without one"

Gladio knew Prompto was right. His anger deflated out of him. "I didn't think of that"

"It's all I can think about" Prompto said quietly. He was silent for a moment before adding "What if I die before I can see him again?"

"I'll make sure you won't" Gladio promised.

"What if he's gone for fifty years? You can't stop time"

"Watch me"

Prompto laughed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "You're so stubborn"

"You're not much better"

"I know." Prompto was quiet for a moment. "So, you know how to do stitches?"

"Yeah, shield stuff ya know?"

"Great, sew me up then"

"Have you got a first aid kit?"

"Bathroom"

Gladio walked into the room opening up the medicine cabinet. He spotted the bright red first aid kit straight away but he also spotted a box of condoms. His stomach lurched. He'd never thought of Prompto as someone who had _sex_. It was dumb really, Prompto was an adult man he could do what he wanted, but it didn't sit right with Gladio. He gently took the box off the shelf and peered inside. It was half empty. His stomach lurched again as he put the box back and closed the cabinet.

He was silent as he worked on Prompto's stitches, ignoring the hisses of pain from the younger man.

"Got something on your mind?" he asked eventually.

Gladio pushed the needle through the skin again before he answered. "I saw the condoms"

"Oh"

"Didn't think of you like that I suppose"

"It's a recent thing" Prompto admitted.

"Why?"

"I was lonely, I guess"

Gladio huffed. "You could have just spoken to me. Or Iggy"

"I didn't want to talk"

Gladio worked silently until he was done. "What was wrong with asking me?" he said as he wiped up the excess blood.

Prompto looked puzzled. "For sex?"

"Yeah"

"You're straight, aren't you?"

Gladio looked up at the blonde. At his flat, smooth stomach. At the way his blonde hair fell over his deep blue eyes. At the freckles that danced across his skin. "I thought I was"

Prompto cupped Gladio's cheek. "Tell me what you need"

Gladio surged upwards, capturing soft pink lips with his. Prompto threaded his fingers through his hair and pulled him closer.

Eventually, Gladio had to pull away. His head was swimming with unfamiliar emotions. And his back was starting to ache from the angle they were at.

Gladio didn't think Prompto could get prettier, until he saw him after a kiss. His eyes were blown black, his lips swollen. Cheeks pink.

Prompto kissed him again, quick and sweet. Then he laughed.

"What?" Gladio asked, offended. It had been a while but he was sure the kiss wasn't _that_ bad.

"I've had a crush on you for years and Noct said to not even bother because you were as straight as can be." Prompto laughed again. Gladio loved that sound. "I can't wait to tell him that he was wrong"

Gladio grumbled and stood up. "Glad I'm a source of amusement for you"

"Gladio, I'm sorry, please don't be mad" 

"I could never be mad at you" he said softly.

"You have yelled at me twice today" Prompto pointed out.

"Because you were being a dumbass" 

"You got me there" Prompto laughed. "Kiss me again?"

Gladio obliged.

"Fancy moving this to the bedroom?" Prompto suggested after more kisses.

"Not until this is healed" Gladio replied, poking near the cut on Prompto's stomach. Prompto rolled his eyes. "Gotta make sure it heals properly blondie"

"Suppose that makes sense"

"You better heal quickly" Gladio said, trying to not laugh at the expression on Prompto's face.

**Author's Note:**

> You might be wondering where day 7 is, and the answer to that would be somehow its turned into a 8000+ word fic and I'm still writing it ʅ（´◔౪◔）ʃ


End file.
